The FMD restrictions are now being felt by meat suppliers and informal traders whose livelihoods depend on a steady supply of beef.
"For many kapana sellers, the grill is a source of daily income. But with measures anticipated to contain the spread of foot-and-mouth disease, some traders may be forced to put their businesses on hold. The restrictions will not only affect what they can sell but also their ability to earn a living," observed NBC News reporter Tania Katamila.
The restrictions are already creating uncertainty for meat suppliers, who now face challenges in sourcing and distributing beef to their customers.
Meat supplier Natangwe Hituwamata said, "We bought our cows from the auctions and kept them where we usually do. Now what should happen? Will the government help us so we can go slaughter them? We cannot go slaughter them because of the restrictions – it has negatively affected us, because this is our source of income."
"We are being told selling of meat will be closed, but I want to ask the government, has the supply stopped, or where has it ended?" said Lazarus Simon.
The disruption does not end with meat sellers. Kapana sellers also rely on a consistent supply of beef to keep their grills running, and the impact may begin to hit their daily operations.
Kapana Seller Shange Nambili adds, "There's nowhere we can go if the meat is closed. That means we will not get any income.
We have no choice; there's nothing we can do, because we have so many people employed here who will not be able to have an income."
The ripple effects extend beyond the sale of meat. Vendors selling accompaniments such as pap, salsa and fatcakes have also raised concerns about losing customers if kapana operations are forced to slow down or stop.
"We are in a big problem – there is no meat. The farms are closed. The core business in Single Quarters is meat - it's just kapana. If there is no kapana, there's no business. I'm in the business of salsa. Even if I prepare the food, nobody will buy it because there's no meat," stated a Fatcake and Salsa Seller, Getrud Nuusiku.
"The impact is felt beyond the livestock sector. At informal meat markets, traders depend on a steady supply of meat to keep their businesses running. For now, the grills remain on, but only for as long as their existing supply lasts. Once that stock runs out, these kapana sellers say they may have no choice but to put their businesses on hold," said Katamila.